The story behind my Ivy League Classics collection
I find the timelessness of tweedy, practical, refined-yet-casual, and time-honored menswear to be comforting. Like the mac and cheese of clothing. But, you know, classy mac and cheese. In our fast-paced, trend-focused world, it’s nice to be able to count on some things sticking around year after year.
I remember my grandpa wearing tweed sport jackets around the house, not for any special occasion, but just because that was his style — solid, traditional, dependable, consistent. He smoked a pipe, and while I hated the smoke, whenever I catch the scent of that sweet, cherry tobacco it transports me back to happy memories. Every once in awhile as I worked on this line of accessories, I thought about good times with my grandpa. This sense of history and connection to the past is woven into the things I design and make.
Smart + Heritage = Ivy League Classics
Many of our options as pet owners are for accessories that are trendy, flashy, pink or baby blue, and dog-bone/paw-print-embellished. This is the opposite of my style.
So I created a collection of tailored dog jackets, leashes, and leash pouches that speaks to those of us with classic style, who’d rather not replace our wardrobe every year, who prefer time-worn khakis and canvas sneakers that bear the mark of our wear to the brand new and pristine. Those of us who are likely to be found absorbed in a good book at the library, watching a classic film, or savoring a quiet Fall stroll with our favorite little pooch.
My inspiration for this collection
- the East Coast
- crisp Fall and Winter
- preppy and collegiate themes
- Robert Redford’s perfect wardrobe in Three Days of the Condor
- time-worn wood
- brick & ivy
- big, old libraries
- the style and wit of Wes Anderson’s Rushmore
- classic English menswear and textiles, like the Norfolk jacket
The mood & design values that guided me
- heritage, tradition
- intellectual, bookish
- purposeful
- quiet
- refined
- crisp
- tailored
The patterns & Textiles
- cotton
- wool
- tweed
- gingham
- plaid
- chambray
This collection really puts me in the mood for a walk around my college campus on a crisp Fall day, under a canopy of bright orange maple trees and my little dog trotting along by my side.
If you’d like to buy any of the handmade dog jackets, leashes, and leash pouches I created for this collection, visit my Etsy shop.
